Saransk / Russia (AP) - Evgeni Plushenko is back after almost two years. The figure skating dinosaur has started successfully in Saransk, Russia, with the ninth title again its comeback.

The now 29-year-old has won in his unparalleled career everything you can to win in sports: Olympic gold medalist, 2006 Olympic silver medalist in 2002 and 2010, three-time world champion, six-time European champion. But he still has not enough: "I have this incredible desire to continue to run competitions. And I have this one goal, that dream. "Are meant the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi on home ice.

It would Pluschenkos fourth game, and he already has three medals. "Yes, I know I can lose. The competition is very strong. But I had a great career and I am "calm, said the exceptional athlete. He added: "The main thing is that health permitting. If I can fight for a medal, I will try. "

Only six months after his last knee surgery - one of several in the course of his long career - Plushenko at the Russian Championships brought again Toeloops quadruple and triple Axel on the ice. He was far from perfect yet, but be eleven years younger main rival, the World bronze medalist Artur Gatschinski, had no real chance anyway. "When I come in the form, I want to start at the European Championships," said Plushenko.

Which is only a formality in the way, because of participation in the European Championships in late January in Sheffield is a technical minimum value from current or past season prescribed. Because Plushenko denied since the 2010 Winter Olympics no longer has competition, it is missing for each of these top runners in itself ridiculous value. The rule was only introduced to sort out to participants in growing fields, the weakest runner. Coach Alexei Mishin initially left open, as the Russian Federation would like to solve this problem.

Plushenko and the International Skating Union (ISU) had in the past, some friction. Since the Russians in March 2010, the World Cup finals canceled due to an injury, but appeared in a show, he was even suspended for a season. Now, the Olympic champion should ask for a dispensation, since before the European Championships, there are no more international tournament, in which he could obtain the minimum value. On the other hand, Plushenko is a star, the polarization, which piques the interest of spectators and the media. In this sense the return of the dinosaur a godsend for figure skating